Heads up! The big Garmin annual spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8 (first sale to date!), $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965 at $499, the Forerunner 265, the new Instinct 3, and countless other Garmin products including inReach Mini 2. Plus the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium is on sale, and some Suunto & Wahoo product deals too. Full list & thoughts here!
I’m DC RAINMAKER…
Here’s how to save!
Wanna save some cash and support the site? These companies help support the site! With Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
You can also pick-up tons of gear at REI via these links, which is a long-time supporter as well:
Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate. No cost to you, easy as pie!
You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
1
In Depth Product Reviews
You probably stumbled upon here looking for a review of a sports gadget. If you’re trying to decide which unit to buy – check out my in-depth reviews section. Some reviews are over 60 pages long when printed out, with hundreds of photos! I aim to leave no stone unturned.
2
Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here’s my most recent GPS watch guide here, and cycling GPS computers here. Plus there are smart trainers here, all in these guides cover almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day-to-day? I also just put together my complete ‘Gear I Use’ equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here’s The Girl’s (my wife’s) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
3
Have some fun in the travel section.
I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Here’s a bunch of random trip reports and daily trip-logs that I’ve put together and posted. I’ve sorted it all by world geography, in an attempt to make it easy to figure out where I’ve been.
4
My Photography Gear: The Cameras/Drones/Action Cams I Use Daily
The most common question I receive outside of the “what’s the best GPS watch for me” variant, are photography-esq based. So in efforts to combat the amount of emails I need to sort through on a daily basis, I’ve complied this “My Photography Gear” post for your curious minds (including drones & action cams!)! It’s a nice break from the day-to-day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
5
The Swim/Bike/Run Gear I Use List
Many readers stumble into my website in search of information on the latest and greatest sports tech products. But at the end of the day, you might just be wondering “What does Ray use when not testing new products?”. So here is the most up to date list of products I like and fit the bill for me and my training needs best! DC Rainmaker 2024 swim, bike, run, and general gear list. But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? If that’s the case (but certainly not saying my choices aren’t good for women), and you just want to see a different gear junkies “picks”, check out The Girl’s Gear Guide too.
Completing tour of watopia is an easy way to practice social distancing
Just finished Japan Base Ride (2.7~4.5w/kg) 75km (C) on Zwift.
Riding 2 hours on a 8 years old rollers with all neighbours looking at me
Working from home leaves me generally socially distant. Riding Tour of Watopia gets me a little socially closer while remaining properly physically distanced.
Maybe this time
1 hour on trainer using ImobileIntervals warm upper a few minutes then 16 minutes at 75% ftp 16 minutes 80% and finally 15 minutes 75%. cool down
RGT Cycling Pienza, two laps
Recovery week!
So just 1 hour at endurance pace, fasted.
black giant with trainerroad!
Got a few rides on Zwift’s Tour of Watopia and have been running in my neighborhood in the early mornings before there are any people around. Now if I could only figure out how to get a good swim in in my tub…
I went for a 6.66km run down the canal. The distance feels quite apt in the current climate
Emily´s Short Mix workout in Zwift.
Early morning Run around the countryside
A run! Nobody on the streets. No lock down for Australia (yet).
Mountain biking with my two boys while staying social distance from everyone else.
I ran around the neighborhood with my 10 year old son.
I was doing Sufferfest Primers for tomorrow 4d full frontal
I rode my peloton! Not ideal! But it worked!
A 1 hour ride on Zwift this morning. Up the epic KOM route.
Zwifting. Racing with the A’s running myself into the ground. I should do more rides like the 3R Climbing Series ride I did today. Good for recovery.
Here in Australia we are still allowed outside to train, distance rules still apply. But a nice solitary 6k run with no one on the streets was my last effort.
Had a Zwift meetup on saturday – nice!
Zwift ride
The doggos are enjoying all the extra walks. Solo yoga and weights too. Thanks!
2mile walk this lunchtime around the neighbourhood followed by a small jog around the kitchen….tomorrow….the dreadmill
Easy spin of “Volunteer” in TrainerRoad, while rolling up the Volcano in Zwift, to get more vertical meters for the Absa Cape Epic Challenge.
Well, not much of a workout per se, but I walked 5 miles this morning.
Z2-3 climbing AdZ.
Simply went out for a walk.
A wonderful 10 km walk with my beautiful wife staying close to her and dodging all my neighbours.
45 minutes on the elliptical in the basement. Running outside every other day, on carefully selected routes. With the return of the sun and the snow and ice melting, impossible to resist!
Dreaming of my next run as I go double-crazy working from home and recovering from a rib injury while walking 6-feet away from everyone at closed-down national parks in California :)
A fun solo ride on the MTB!
Got to head out on the road for a short 1hr spin yesterday. I purposely avoided the MUPs as the weather was amazing for the first time in weeks and I figured there’d be many people out there, not social distancing. Luckily, the roads were quite light, especially considering it would have normally been rush hour!
Meet-up on Zwift. We all rode the same Erg workout (ZWO), rode together, but still kept our distance.
Went for a run with my girlfriend while avoiding everyone else.
I have been able to hit all my sessions alone in the garage in the last two weeks. No travel has made me consistent. Who would’ve thought?
A long run in the fog, not a person in sight!
Trainer – Zwift NYC for 63 min
Trainer Road Taku 2 days ago.
Alone in my basement on Zwift, pretending to be in London
Got a 4 X 800 workout in then BROKE MY ANKLE. Sad Panda
Using my treadmill while watching videos and listening to the FIT Files!
A fun solo ride on the MTB!
Cycling along the riverside path in Glasgow
Yesterday I ran 1 mile with the younger kid and then came home and picked up the older kid and ran 2 miles with him.
Strava structured ftp workouts between strava races! Fun times alone with 20,000 of your closest friends ?
Walked the dog
Working from home has given me cabin fever. Riding on an old trainer doesn’t give me the workout I need. This would be a god send.
Zwift ride while on a conference call.
Obviously no camera and was muted
Would’ve been the hour ride I did on my tacx!
My last social distancing workout was a virtual run with Zwift, a Zwift runpod, and my home treadmill all while watching Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. It does not hold up (nor did it ever).
Super intense quarantine-friendly bodyweight HIIT. Really want to get myself a trainer so I can ride indoors!!
Tour de Zwift stage 5
Speed repeats along Crescent Beach. Low tide so lots of space to separate me from the three others who were there.
Did running and sprint drills with my daughter in our basement.
For homeschool recess we took a 6 mile ride on our old school bmxbikes.
Managed to get a 35 km trail run in last weekend, didn’t see many others out in the forest.
Did a bike session, on the trainer of course. Then quick transition jumping rope. And had a cold beer after. ??
My last “socially distant” workout was a 5 mile run in the local Lomond Hills in Fife, Scotland – alone (apart from the wildlife…)
Dreadmill run
I ran a marathon on a treadmill while watching tiger king
Zwift session on my dumb trainer. Need a smart trainer to keep the noise down and just because.
Lifting weights with dumbbells while my wife is on the treadmill in our spare bedroom at home.
Went for a ride on an old disused railway
Went on a run last week at a park. Lots of cars, but didn’t see that many folks.
RGT Cycling – Cap Formentor…on my trainer in the living room!
link to strava.com
11km outside taking wide paths and crossing many roads to avoid people.
Did a short loop on local streets to avoid the crowded bike trails.
Sand & Sequoias for a first time Zwifter is a good call… glad I did it!
Tour of watopia Stage 5, going for the “quarentine” badge
I could really use the distraction from the day to day madness.
Went for a 5 mile run in my neighborhood
Lovely evening slow jog at sunset.
I can still run in the community.
Training peaks workout using zwift
Just finished workout on zwift getting ready for my first 70.3… that will probably get postponed…! Let’s hope in some luck here!!!
I “simulated” Sellaronda during a three hours session of spin bike, man i really need a smart trainer :-)
Did 5k time trial and run same time as my PB from few years ago ?
10 x 30s running hill repeats
Solo bike ride on fairly empty roads.
Zwift next to the heater
Walking with the family and zwift
Took a 5 mile walk, waving at passersby, at a distance of course. Then an hour of psuedo intervals on my rollers
Hermits unite and isolate
Bike ride in the forest with kids
A no draft 40 mile ride on the beautiful W&OD trail…last one with my riding buddy for a while though…
#FCKCRNA
Just picked up my 48th (out of 67) Zwift route badge on the Greatest London Loop, after getting my butt kicked by some Danish and Norwegian folks in a race on the Sand & Sequoias route earlier..
A short outside run with my wife. No need to socially distance myself from her.
Took my 7-year-old daughter out for her first true road bike ride – a 9,5km course through some deserted villages of Bavaria, Germany. No cars around thanks to social distancong, safe environment for a kid on the road. link to strava.app.link
did a short trainer ride in the garage this morning. gotta get active!
Managed a 5K run around my village not a soul in sight
It was full blown Zwift race.
Yesterday was beautiful and we’re not yet under full lock-down, so I was able to take a genuine outdoor ride!
I did Petit on TrainerRoad. Love that software
A FatBike ride in the deep snow of the Foothills of the Rockies. Beautiful.
Running in the morning. Possibly because working from home. Stay save!
Did a brief workout on my rowing machine. About to put together a SkiErg; all that’s missing is a cycling station. Come on, Ray – don’t fail me now!
Local group ride was moved to a Zwift Meetup last night. I followed it up with Stage 5 Tour of Watopia afterwards.
I got a 24 mile easy ride in this morning. Heading out soon for a nice little trail run!
Wife won’t let me buy a smart trainer….